Haj pilgrimage cost to increase

JAKARTA (JP): The government has decided to increase the cost of the haj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, next year to between Rp 24.4 million (US$2,741) and Rp 26 million per person.

Minister of Religious Affairs Said Aqiel Husin Al Munawar told a media conference here on Friday that the decision was made in a hearing between the Ministry and the House of Representatives Commission VI for religious affairs on Aug. 24.

The cost of this year's pilgrimage was between Rp 19 million and Rp 23 million.

"The government has had to raise it for economic reasons," Munawar said, without elaborating.

He said the cost would vary based on the three different embarkation zones.

Those traveling from the first embarkation zone covering Aceh, North and West Sumatra, Riau and Jambi for the pilgrimage will have to pay Rp 24.4 million. Would-be pilgrims from the second zone that covers Jakarta, Lampung, Bengkulu, South Sumatra, Bangka-Belitung, West Java, Banten, West Kalimantan, East Java, North Java, Bali, West and East Kotawaringin regencies in Central Kalimantan, West and East Nusa Tenggara, and Banjar and Kota Banjar Baru regencies in South Kalimantan will have to pay Rp 25.3 million.

Prospective pilgrims coming from the third zone covering South, Southeast, Central, and North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Maluku, North Maluku, Irian Jaya, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan excluding West and East Kotawaringin regencies, and South Kalimantan, excluding Banjar and Kota Banjar Baru regencies, have to pay Rp 26.3 million.

The pilgrimage cost usually covers a round-trip air ticket (Jakarta-Jeddah-Jakarta), living costs in Saudi Arabia and administrative fees.

The minister said would-be pilgrims could transfer the money to the account of the Minister of Religious Affairs at seven state and private banks: Bank BRI, Bank BNI and BNI Syariah, Bank BTN, Bank Mandiri and Syariah Mandiri, Bank Muamalat Indonesia, Bank Bukopin and Bank Syariah Bukopin, and Bank Jabar.

Registration for the pilgrimage will begin on Sept. 3 through Oct. 5.

The Saudi Arabian government has set a quota of about 205,000 pilgrims for Indonesia for next year's pilgrimage, which is the same as that for this year. (tso)